Mother Theresa and Urban Legends (Till)

Austin Cline Pioneer@infidels.org
Mon, 16 Feb 1998 11:56:28 -0400 (00887666188, v04003a04b10e03eb6e84@[209.114.145.169]) 


>CARR

>I recounted the reception his book was given in the UK.


AUSTIN
No, that's not all you did. You specifically said that his book "just
seemed to go in for slinging mud and guilt by association tactics." That is
an indefensible accusation when you haven't read the book. If you cannot be
bothered to read the book (for whatever reason), then you should not be
bothered to make such judgements.

Of course, if you wished to quote someone else who read the book and had
those feelings, that would be another matter - but I would still find it a
questionable tactic when you aren't even interested enough to take two
hours (and that's about all needed) to read the original.

<snip>

CARR

>I did see his TV programme about MT. He seemed to me to be just saying

>'Look. She's talking to this bad person and to that bad person', which

>struck me as guilt by association. Im sure she did get money from bad

>people, at a cost of bolstering their image. There are worse crimes.


AUSTIN.
Funny, I saw him doing somthing completely different. I saw him pointing
out that she has made a reputation of defending the poor and destitute, but
then makes appearances with and accepts awards/honors from people who crush
the poor and destitute - and then takes money from them which was either
stolen (Keating) or should have been used to help the poor in that country
(Haiti). I suggest that you simply weren't paying close enough attention.

Yes, there are worse crimes. But the documenting of hypocrisy is hardly
"slinging mud" and worthless.

CARR

>There were much better articles in the Times about a volunteer nurse who

>was very surprised at the lack of medical training that the nurses got.


AUSTIN
And there is much in the book about the lack of genuine medical attention
receieved by patients.



Austin Cline; German Department; Princeton University
--- The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher
      esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.

               - Nietzsche "The Dawn" (1881)